Did Crown Prince Order Murder of Saudi Journalist?

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A protester holds a poster of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi during a protest organized by members of the Turkish-Arabic Media Association at the entrance to the Saudi Arabia Consulate on October 5, 2018 in Istanbul (Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Suspicions are mounting that Saudi’s crown prince ordered the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. This is the conclusion of Turkish officials as to the fate of Khashoggi, 59, who was last seen walking into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul October 2.

Saudi officials denied the allegations, saying the well-known opposition journalist left the building through another exit. Although it is unclear where their information is coming from, the Turks say after Khashoggi was murdered, his body was dismembered by Saudi officials in the Kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul.

The Turks have yet to provide proof. They haven’t searched the consulate yet, as they have promised to do. The Saudis, for their part, have not turned over any CCTV footage of his exit.

The New York Times referenced two sources with knowledge of the investigation as saying a 15-member delegation of men which arrived from Saudi Arabia was waiting for Khashoggi when he entered the consulate. The men departed Turkey the day Khashoggi disappeared, taking flights to Cairo and Dubai.

Khashoggi went to the consulate to take care of some paperwork for his upcoming marriage to a Turkish national. He had visited the consulate a few days earlier and was “somewhat concerned that he could be in danger,” according to his fiancee, who later appealed to President Donald Trump and his wife Melania for help in the case.

Khashoggi, who is also a contributor to The Washington Post, has been living in exile in the U.S. since last year, after incurring the wrath of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom he criticized on topics such as Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, the arrest of women rights activists and the country’s recent spat with Canada.

Turkish officials say Khashoggi’s body was dismembered with a bone saw the Saudi team brought to Turkey for this purpose.

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The Clarion Project (formerly Clarion Fund) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating both policy makers and the public about the growing phenomenon of Islamic and other forms of extremism. The Clarion Project is committed to working towards safeguarding human rights for all peoples.